Week Five

Week Five

Week five of my Body For Life program: May 29- June 4, 2012.

Weight: 185.8# 
-2.2 pounds for the week/ -14.2 pounds total
Waist: 37.5"
-.5" for the week/ -2.25" total
Hips: 42.75"
-.50" for the week/ -1.75" total


Looking back over the last 4 weeks, I am proud to report that in May,  I ran 36 miles, lost 8.2 pounds and the best news was that from my allergist!


Remember what got me really started on this journey?  The asthma diagnosis.  Last week I had a followup appointment with the allergist to recheck things.  My pulmonary function test was much improved (the allergist agrees it is likely due to running), I got to go completely off of one medication and he cut the second med in half!  In only one month I changed my future!  If that isn't motivation to keep it up, I don't know what is.

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Week Four

Week Four

Week four of my Body For Life program: May 22-28, 2012.

Weight: 188# 
-2 pounds for the week/ -12 pounds total
Waist: 38"
-0" for the week/ -1.75" total
Hips: 43.25"
-.50" for the week/ -1.25" total


I missed a day of C25K in week 3.  I still decided to start the week 4 schedule.  It didn't turn out to be too much.  I also made the decision to sign up for a 5K!  I will be participating in Color Me Rad on July 21st. That puts me in good shape to finish the C25K program a few weeks before the race.


One of the steps in the Body For Life program is to practice the universal law of reciprocation by giving unselfishly.  I will be putting this into practice by raising money for the Special Olympics of VA.  Go to my fundraising page by clicking on the link to your right in my sidebar.

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Week Three

Week Three

This week was spent in recovery from a stomach virus.  I didn't take measurements and my weight was 185 pounds.  This was not at all accurate as I had just spent 2 days vomiting and ate under 1000 calories for 4 days.

http://whatareyoudoingitfor.tumblr.com/post/21808601989

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Week Two Update

Week Two Update

On Saturday of this week I was headed home from a bridal shower and was hit hard with the need to vomit.  I pulled over in a church parking lot about a mile from my house and proceeded to ruin my shoes.  It was bad.  My pants legs were covered, so right there in the parking lot, I took them off and drove home bottomless.  I continued to vomit for around 36 hours.  That was some serious dehydration from which I had to recover.

In the past, I have let the inevitable setback derail me completely.  Not this time.  I was determined to stay on track.

Wednesday was the first morning I felt kind-of normal.  I still felt really weak, so I walked instead of my C25K.  My online friends at My Fitness Pal gave me the encouragement I needed and the accountability to keep me going.

If you are someone like me who needs the accountability of calorie and exercise tracking and if you need friends to keep you going, then you have to check out My Fitness Pal.  There is an online version and mobile app for many of the smart phones out there.  Friend me there!  My name is herwitsend.

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Week Two

Week Two

Week two of my Body For Life program: May 8-14, 2012.

Weight: 190# 
-4 pounds for the week/ -10 pounds total
Waist: 38"
-1.5" for the week/ -1.5" total
Hips: 43.75"
-.25" for the week/ -.25" total


Some thoughts from mid-week (day 10 of the BFL program):

I hate every step of running.

I am so glad I have an iPhone (I run with Justin Timberlake- or I pretend to).

The trainer I was randomly assigned to at my gym doesn't "get" what I'm doing (switch?).

It is not that hard to eat right if you are paying attention.

I am really fat (SW= 200 and I am 5'4") and I wasn't really seeing it until I took underwear photos.

I cried after I had my body fat percentage measured and found out that I was carrying around over 70 pounds of fat.

I also have 122# of lean body mass (that I intend to not only keep but add to by building more muscle).

I can do this. There is no reason why I can't be a smoking hot hardbody (or close) by this time next year.

I feel so glad that my kids will have a healthy mama. 

http://www.paranoias.org/2011/05/quotes-posters/

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Week One Update

Week One Update

May 7, 2012

I can now run 1 mile without stopping!

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Week One Stats and Plan

Week One Stats and Plan

Week one of my Body For Life program: May 1-7, 2012.

Weight: 194#
BMI: 31.61 (Obese)
Body Fat (calipers): 44.8%
Resting Heart Rate: 78bpm
Waist: 39.75"
Hips: 44.5"

I began doing the BFL exercise program on May 1st.  I started the Couch to 5K program for my cardio days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) and the BFL weightlifting program for my weight training days.

Official Body-for-LIFE Weight-Training Plan

• Weight train intensely, three times per week on alternating days with aerobic exercise three times per week. Make sure to hit your "high points" during your workout.
• Alternate training the major muscles of the upper and lower body.
• Perform two exercises for each major muscle group of the upper body.
• Select one exercise and conduct five sets with it, starting with a set of 12 reps, then increasing the weight and doing 10 reps, adding more weight and doing 8 reps, adding more weight for 6 reps. Then reduce the weight and do 12 reps. Immediately perform another set of 12 reps for that muscle group using the second selected exercise.
• For each muscle group, rest for one minute between the first four sets. Then complete the final two sets with no rest in between, wait two minutes before moving on to your next muscle group, complete this pattern five times for the upper body training experience and four times for the lower body training experience.
• Always plan your training before hand.
• Record all your weightlifting exercised in a journal indicating the exercise selected and weight lifted.

Daily Training Guide

Download the Exercise Guide

Day 1	Upper Body Training	Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Back/Biceps
Day 2	Cardiovascular Workout
Day 3	Lower Body and Abs Training	Quads/Hamstrings/Calves/Abdominals
Day 4	Cardiovascular Workout
Day 5	Upper Body Training	Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Back/Biceps
Day 6	Cardiovascular Workout
Day 7	Rest

Upper Body

Chest

Choose Exercise from List

• Barbell Bench Presses
• Barbell Incline Presses
• Dumbbell Bench Presses
• Dumbbell Incline Presses
• Dumbbell Flyes
• Cable Crossovers
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Back

Choose Exercise from List

• Pull-Ups
• Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns
• One-Arm Dumbbell Rows
• Seated Cable Rows
• Back Extensions
• Straight Arm Pulldowns
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Shoulders

Choose Exercise from List

• Seated Dumbbell Presses
• Front Raises
• Lateral Raises
• Reverse Flyes
• Upright Cable Rows
• Upright Barbell Rows
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Biceps

Choose Exercise from List

• Alternate Dumbbell Curls
• Barbell Curls
• Preacher Curls
• Concentration Curls
• Cable Curls
• Hammer Curls
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Triceps

Choose Exercise from List

• Seated Triceps Presses
• Lying Triceps Presses
• Triceps Kickbacks
• Triceps Pushdowns
• Cable Extensions
• Bench Dips
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Lower Body

Quadriceps

Choose Exercise from List

• Barbell Squats
• Leg Presses
• Leg Extensions
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Hamstrings

Choose Exercise from List

• Dumbbell Lunges
• Straight-Leg Deadlifts
• Lying Leg Curls
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Calves

Choose Exercise from List

• Seated Calf Raises
• Standing Heel Raises
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

Abs

Choose Exercise from List

• Floor Crunches
• Oblique Floor Crunches
• Decline Crunches
• Decline Oblique
• Hanging Knee Raises
• Reverse Crunches
• Cable Crunches
• Cable Oblique Crunches
• Repetitions: x12, x10, x8, x6, x12, x12

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Goal Setting

Goal Setting

I know where I am.  Obese.
I know where I am going.  Healthy.


When you decide that you might want to go somewhere, the first thing you usually do is find it on a map, right?  You may do an internet search for photos of the place.  You may check out a book from the library or head out to have a cup of coffee at Barnes and Noble while you look at their books.  If you are like me you will check plane fares to see if the cost is something attainable.  No sense planning my 14 day Italian dream trip if I can't even afford to get there.

Getting healthy, for me started in much the same way. After tipping the scale at 200 pounds, I got scared. I decided I wanted to get healthy. I started a Pinterest board called Taking My Body Back. I checked out books from the library. I asked people what they do to be healthy. I researched the local gym (I live in a very rural area, so yes, we only have one). I calculated the cost to myself and to my family. I also calculated the cost of doing nothing.

Shortly after I made the decision to get healthy, something happened.  I was derailed by an unusually harsh allergy season.  It ended up being 10 weeks of sitting inside and trying not to move so I could breathe.  At an allergist appointment (after multiple GP visits) I was diagnosed with asthma.  The cost of doing nothing about my weight just went WAY up.  Did you know that obesity exacerbates asthma?

I had to get educated about asthma along with figuring out how to get my health back.  Once I did that, I made a body wish list, my reasons for change.  This will look different for each person, but for me it looks like this:
~I want to be strong.
~I want to feel healthy.
~I want to wear clothes that I like .
~I want to like what I see in the mirror.
~I want to kick asthma's butt.
~I want to live a long life.
~I want to be a good example to my children.

In order to get to those things I want, I need to plot out my course.  I chose the 12 week program Body For Life and based on that, I made some 12 week goals.
Within 12 weeks, I will:
~Lose 20# of fat and gain 10# of muscle. Achieved in Week Seven!
~Hike 5 miles without becoming winded. Achieved in Week Five!
~Lower BMI enough to be out of the obese range.
~Run a 5K.

There is a lifestyle that I have adopted in order to get to 200 pounds and sedentary.  In order to achieve my goals, there are some hinderances I will need to lay aside:
~My addiction to high calorie, low nutrition foods.
~Laziness (especially in skipping workouts).
~Fear of failure.
~Fear of success.

As I lay aside those things I am inviting new choices into my life:
~I choose to sleep enough by going to bed at 10:00 pm.
~I choose to rise early and run before the weather gets too hot and before my kids are up for the day.
~I choose to plan tomorrow's workout, meals and snacks.
~I choose to recognize and reject emotional eating.


So, today, I challenge you to make a wishlist, make goals from that wishlist and identify the behaviors that will get you there and ones that will hinder your progress.  It will be worth it, I promise!

http://www.leahremilletblog.com/

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Starting a Journey

Starting a Journey

Hello.  My name is Amy (aka, Mama).  I am a wife and a mother; a former fit and healthy person.  This blog will be a personal documentation of my journey back to that place of health and fitness.

Over the next few days I will try to give you some insight into who I was in a former life (fit me), who I was before my turning point (unhealthy me) and who I am today.

I began to change my diet in February 2012 and quickly lost 10 pounds, but I was plagued with allergies (and difficulty breathing) for weeks that kept me inside and basically inactive.  I gained 4 of those pounds back.  After an allergist appointment in mid April 2012 where I was diagnosed with Asthma I began medication that helped my symptoms tremendously.  I also learned that for overweight people, asthma can often be managed by weight loss and exercise!

That was enough to get me going.  This was the first time I had any medical diagnosis of anything remotely scary (other than Postpartum Depression).  The fact that my symptoms were possibly related to my obesity (how's that for a scary word?) frightened the crap out of me!!  3 out of 4 of my grandparents had diabetes.  There is also high blood pressure and heart disease in my family.  

So, I came to the place where I had to decide that I am not going to go willingly down that road.  On May 1, 2012, I began the Body For Life program.  

As I take you on this journey with me, I hope to keep it real.  I am in a different place daily (hourly) and I will endeavor to stay positive, but some days aren't that great and I may share that, too.  Don't judge! ;)

For now I leave you with some stats.

I am 64"tall (162cm)

I have a small/ medium build (in other words, I am not "big boned").

On January 1, 2012, I weighed 200# (90.7 kg).

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